Zuko The Black Spirit
by juniorreal
Summary: First ever fic. After his Mother disappeared when he was ten Zuko turned colder without her comfort, knowing his mother would want him to be strong he trained relentlessly and matured faster. Now Zuko will become a legend sooner than he thought...well that was a bad summary Grey/Smarter/Stronger Zuko


Chapter 1

AN: First fic I ever wrote i know it's not going to be perfect, i just got bored just tell me what you think if people like it I'll try to continue it and they can suggest what they want to happen, sorry if Characters are a little OC

Disclaimer – I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender

Zuko The Black Spirit

In the massive land of Fire Nation outside of Fire Lord Ozai Palace in the Fire Nation Capital sitting outside near the cliff overviewing the sea, twelve year old Zuko was meditating with a calm expression with his eyes closed and controlled breathing, as his usual to pass time. After his Mother disappeared when he was ten he didn't care about his father's approval or beating his annoying sister, preferring to converse with his Uncle Iroh and train. People noticed his personality changed since his Mother Ursa left, rarely betraying emotion around people with a stoic face and emotionless voice when spoken to, overall a more matured; a more reserved; a more perceptive and analytical Zuko. Azula would still attempt to provoke him still, key word attempt. He mostly avoided her now and she gave up much to her annoyance preferring to hang with Ty-Lee and Mai. His Father still didn't acknowledge him (not that he wanted it) preferring to speak and teach Azula. He only saw them at dinner or formal gathering; he just stayed anonymous which obviously kept his Father satisfied.

His skills had improved tremendously after he was determined to make his Mother and Uncle proud, he hated his father with all his heart knowing he was the reason mother disappeared, he disliked his cold hearted nature and his lack of compassion and simple minded mentality. What gave Fire Nation the right to rule over others this war was just useless bloodshed just to satisfy one mans greed not that he announced this least he be punished. This was one of the reasons he preferred to relax with his peaceful Uncle Iroh.

Spending most of his time alone training starting with stretching and then doing two-hundred handstand push ups and normal push ups, chins ups, sit ups or any other self-body workout without damaging his young body. Then going through unarmed fighting forms and also developed masterful skill in swordsmanship, and he specialized in dual wielding swordplay, using a set of Dao blades, both skills he gained after being trained by the sword master Piandao. He never became complacent in his skills following his Uncle's advice that helped him train to relieve stress, always aiming higher to improve. And his most surprising skill was his bending when Azula had blue flames he thought it was just her that developed a rare colour and powerful fire, because of her prodigious skill however.

He's most surprising moment in his life after he found out his mother left, he let out his unrestrained anger thrusting his palms out above the vast lake expecting orange/red fireball to come out, except it was completely black and dangerously hot expecting it to go out once it was near the lake, except it was still burning strong on water!. Shocked by this he performed more strikes all of them not put out by the water still burning strong, causing steam to rise from the evaporating water. Wondering when these black flames were going to go out he waited which he lost patients after 1 hour. After informing his Uncle he was advised to practice with this as it was extremely dangerous to go uncontrolled no one knows besides his Uncle and this happened when he was ten, since then he trained brutally with it along with everything else, always looking to master everything and know the strengths and weakness. He counted they last an hour long unless he put a lot of strength in to it then maybe 2 hours he has enough control to make them disappear now. No one knew how skilled he was besides his Uncle.

**SCENE CHANGE**

After leaving the cliff dressed in his royal fire nation clothing except his was all black with his pearl dagger idly twirling round his fingers with a grace he calmly walked through the palace with a stoic almost bored expression, only allowing a small smile to greet the servants and guards they always seemed to like him, proceeding to go to the garden searching for his Uncle "_probably drinking tea again if I know Uncle Iroh" _mused Zuko. Turning the corner where he inwardly sighed seeing his sister with Mai and Ty-Lee which was rare since mum disappeared. Azula noticing her brother she decided to try aggravating him which was getting noticeable tougher. Hastily walking up to him with her usual cunning smirk when she's planning something bad, with the ever energetic Ty-Lee and a bored Mai following behind.

"Hey Zuzu why don't you join us were going to stay at Lo and Li's beach house it'd make Mai happy and be great fun" Azula deviously but happily stated with mischievous gleam in her eyes whitelist Mai blushed in embarrassment and Ty-Lee giggled. Not bothering to break stride he walked past them where they followed at his side casting a single glance to his shorter sister as if considering it. The girls were inwardly annoyed he didn't even answer he was really blank these days and rarely seen with anyone besides Iroh.

After a long pause he decided to actually grace them with an answer "If Fire Lord Ozai approves which I assume he did otherwise you wouldn't be asking, I don't see why I shouldn't come" answered a stoic voice not even acknowledging Ozai as his father which the girls noticed but didn't announce it. Azula frowned at this she just couldn't understand Zuko anymore which annoyed her to no end; she was known to be good at reading people, however with her brother she had no idea what he was thinking. "If that is all you needed then, if you could be so kind and remove yourself from my presence it would be greatly appreciated" ordered Zuko in an emotionless voice with a hint of sarcasm and boredom not even bothering to look at them preferring to idly rotate his dagger with a flourish in his left hand. "_I wonder what I'll eat for lunch today some fish would be nice Uncle always enjoys it as well" _Zuko stopped his train of thought when he noticed Azula talking to him.

Azula scowled at being written off like this along with Ty-Lee and Mai left angry, Zuko was great at getting under peoples skin the way he acted and looked at you and spoke as if you're insignificant in his condescending tone like wasting his breath weren't worth it. Finding a way to get back at him she smirked and spoke in a patronizing tone "Anyway…Zuzu why don't me and you have a sparring match we haven't had one in years since father doesn't deem you worth teaching unlike me" she stuck her head up high while Ty-Lee smiled in excitement for a sparring match Mai was indifferent preferring to just watch Zuko intently trying to get a read on him she noticed he was really muscular but a slim type based more for speed then strength and he was getting taller. He was tall for a twelve year old standing at 5'3. "Hmm did you say something?" asked a bored Zuko. Azula eyebrow twitched at being forgotten she was still there. Mai and Ty-Lee laughed at her, however was quickly silenced by a viscous glare from Azula.

Aggravated at having to repeat herself she repeated in a slightly heated tone "I said why don't me and you have a spar for old times' sake Zuzu" confident she could embarrass him when he didn't reply she was about to goad him when he answered "whatever helps you sleep at night Zula" using a nickname for her to try piss her off especially in a bored almost condescending tone. Azula finally glared at her brother, while Mai and Ty-Lee tried to cover up there laughs with coughs which weren't helping. Arriving at the outside training area Azula gracefully got into stance with an arrogant smirk gazing at her brother opposite her who lazily got it his unorthodox stance which surprisingly had no wholes, Mai and Ty-Lee watching with interest. "Try to keep up now zuzu wouldn't want you to get burned now" she chided him who unsurprisingly got no reaction again just that unnerving blank stare. Azula finally deciding to finally put Zuko in his place, after him disregarding her like a plague.

Swiftly striking out with five blue flame blasts with great accuracy and finesse illuminating the area with a blue light, which Zuko calmly waits with a clear mind and breathing imaging a sun blazing in his chest and then finally, instantaneously reacts as soon as their within range simply sidesteps and pivots around them just enough to past them no wasted movements while trying to get in closer with each dodge. This greatly shocked the three ten year old girls at his reaction time and skill in which he dodged. Azula smirked at actually hoping to have a decent challenge. Going through more fast strikes and advanced forms she unleashes a barrage of fast and furious controlled strikes, which Zuko continues to skilfully dodge at the last minute, noticing this she ups her speed and power in her strikes planning to trap him and move him to certain a direction using the strikes to guide him to her point of her fire. Zuko noticing what Azula planning starts moving around the fire like an air bender getting closer to her.

Azula scowls noticing how acrobatic her brother is and how difficult it is to hit him "_how can he move around my strikes like that so fast, no matter I'll still win" _proceeding to speed up and add more power to her strikes once again, noticing she's actually getting tired from her viscous controlled assault. Zuko starts to go on the attack and close the distance between them with immense speed after moving in a zigzag motion past two fire strikes he was in his surprised sister's face. The Three girls were shocked at how fast he was they did not expect this, Zuko goes to strike with a fast strike to his sister's face she was to slow to react after being caught off guard by his speed and evasiveness, closing her eyes as she was about to get hit only to open them in surprise when his right index finger flicks her forehead and he says "boom" with a stoic voice then turns to walk away thinking of the type of fish him and uncle can have for lunch. Scowling at actually losing and being played off again she glares at Zuko hatefully with a hint of longing and jealousy which he didn't notice because he had his back turned.

Mai and Ty-Lee just stood in shock at what happened they snapped out the stupor a moment later content to watch what Azula has to say. Azula didn't like Zuko jealous of the fact Mother always preferred him, though she knew Father preferred her it just wasn't the same she always had always been better in her Fathers eyes and respected by others for her prowess in fire bending and intellect unlike Zuko, however mother always loved him what made him so special she was better than him this is why she always went out her way to impress father and embarrass Zuko in front of him and enjoy when he got berated. It changed when Mother disappeared and Father became Fire Lord, Zuko was rarely seen by anyone only came when called he avoided her like she was a plague and didn't care what father thought anymore and now he beats her and turns his back to her just like mother used to!.

With hate filled eyes the emotionally challenged girl unleashes a large blast of blue flames at her brother's back, getting gasps of shock and fear from Ty-Lee and Mai. Hearing Azula unleashing a strike against his back Zuko swiftly pivots round to face the blue flames with a calm stoic gaze, breathing in and out smoothly then rearing his head back taking a deep breath feeling the hot sensation in his chest that he loved and guiding it before blowing out a blisteringly destructive force of black flames shaped like a dragon which extinguished the blue flames with ease and continuing to charge Azula down, said girls eyes widened with fear at seeing black fire shaped as a dragon she was sweating from the heat from it at such a distance, even Ty-Lee and Mai could feel the blazing heat from where they were watching getting touched by that was not on there to do list. "WOW! It looks amazing "shouted a giddy Ty-Lee.

The ten year old panicking girl had tears streaming down her face just as she thought they were going to burn her alive it disappeared in the air she looked up gazing at her brother with fear for the first time in her life as he stared her done with a cold gaze reminding her of Father. "Azula…I do not care for such things as sibling rivalry so do seek me out, I do not care for your superiority complex, I do not care for your anger issues however...strike me with intent to kill when my back is turned again I will kill consequence's be damned" he softly stated his face and voice betraying no emotion he said it with such conviction the girls believed he would do it. Azula didn't answer not trusting her voice when her mother disappeared something in Zuko did as well he never used to be so impassive and cold. He was just so perfect now that's what she strived to be gazing at his face now still indifferent like nothing mattered like everything was insignificant to him yet didn't hold any ounce of arrogance unlike her father who always wore an arrogant smirk.

Gracefully turning around and walking away not before sending a small smile and nod to Ty-Lee and Mai that they returned now at Azula's side which sparked jealousy in Azula for not being acknowledged again what does she have to do to be acknowledged by Zuko. "I'm going to my room" Azula grumbled before stomping off expecting them to follow. Ty-Lee and Mai glanced at each other before following after her "the black dragon was cool it came from his mouth as well I heard that was hard to do" Mai idly commented Azula just scowled at the thought of her blue fire being outdone so easily if father found out he would be glad to find out his son was only a late bloomer with dangerous fire bending and she would be in shadows with father like she had been with her Mother. Ty-Lee just nodded her head quickly with bright smile in agreement.

**SCENCE CHANGE **

Two hours later… "I'm sorry Prince Zuko, General Iroh went away this morning on business for a week for something urgent" the guard answered the prince. Deciding that he'll eat fish alone then, he thanked the guard showing he was polite unlike most nobles. The guards and servants always preferred Zuko to Azula always thanking them and asking their opinion on things he treated them with respect just like General Iroh. Arriving at the garden table he began eating his cooked fish with rice and variety of vegetables enjoying the quiet scenery glancing to his left he sees Azula watching him with an intense gaze, undeterred by this ignores her presences which he unconsciously irritated her by doing so.

"Don't ignore like I'm not here! I deserved to be noticed!" Azula shouted after Zuko who just finished his Lunch and drank his water. Zuko just sighed "what do you want from me Azula to bow to you? "He asked softy gazing at pond Azula didn't truly know what she wanted from him, she just needed to be noticed by him every watched her with fear and awe and respect because of her power and skill and royalty and she loved it being just like her Father but when Zuko treats her like this it makes it all seem worthless just like with Mother.

Azula just scowled at him walking up to him "I want a rematch now! I'm supposed to be the best" she demanded before lashing out at him with barrage of precise punches and kicks, which he parried and guided them off course by shifting his body and her strikes in opposite directions utilizing his palms, before gripping her right wrist in a firm grip from her slightly over stretched punch causing her to wince in pain, then slamming her smaller frame against the tree causing her back to slam against the bark painfully, getting a gasp from Azula. Before she could retaliate she received a hard left fist to her solar plexus, winding her making her struggle to breathe, Zuko now gripping both her slim wrists now above her head with his right hand.

Zuko spoke in a cold tone "one would think you like getting beaten up, why must you insist on trying to provoke me what is it you hope to accomplish with this" he asked with a hint of confusion in his voice staring blankly at her. With her tear glazed eye she glared hatefully at him that stare again it was driving her crazy "Stop looking down on me…like I'm nothing! ...you treat me as if I'm plague!" Azula shouted back enraged "just like her" Azula mumbled not that Zuko heard. "What's going on here" Fire Lord Ozai demands walking into the garden gazing at Zuko with something akin to respect and pride choosing to ignore Azula for now he already saw what happened.

Absently releasing Azula's wrist to turn to his Father, causing Azula to hold her stomach with her right hand whilst still glaring at her brother "Nothing of importance Father, Azula was just restless from training" Zuko answered respectfully matching his Fathers intense stare showing great willpower in doing so, which Ozai inwardly praised. Secretly Ozai saw the duel between his two children and he was greatly impressed by Zuko skills, the Black Fire bending was something that was used years ago and extremely rare used by the first ever Fire Lord called 'The Flames Of Amaterasu' taking immense amount of skill to control and master, yet his son at twelve is capable enough to fire it out his mouth in the shape of a dragon no less, how could his son have so much hidden potential he didn't notice he was just a late bloomer, he truly had his blood he should of got Ursa to disappear years ago if she was holding Zuko back and that cold intense gaze he had.

"5pm I want to see you two in the sparing chamber do not be late" he demanded with a cold voice as he walked away "Of course Father" Zuko answered respectfully "Yes Father" responded a more confident Azula now that her father was here. Once Ozai was gone Zuko walked off to train not even sparing his sister a glance, Azula glared after her brother with hate she saw the gleam in her Fathers eyes as he watched Zuko with pride she hated it she couldn't allow this.


End file.
